Chapter 2

　　At her pleading gaze, his eyebrow twitched. Seizing the opening, Saebom rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Then she planted another one firmly on his full lips. His eyes widened at the sudden offensive, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. But she didn’t stop, peppering his cheeks and lips with kisses.

　　The light, smacking sounds were surprisingly sensual in the quiet room.

　　After her storm of affection subsided, she finally pulled back. Jihun looked completely dazed. It was understandable; she rarely initiated things so proactively.

　　She gave him a soft, triumphant smile.

　　“Still mad?”

　　His gaze locked onto hers, and in an instant, his mouth was on hers. He lifted her effortlessly, setting her down on the kitchen island before crashing his lips against hers. A downpour of kisses rained down on her, and she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she clutched his shirt, the kiss a world away from the light pecks she’d given him.

　　“Mmh, Jihun…”

　　Her vision swam, and when her head cleared, she was lying on the master bedroom bed. Jihun was on top of her, his mouth still claiming hers as he fumbled urgently with his necktie. But as he started on his shirt buttons, he suddenly froze.

　　Huh? Saebom looked up at him, his eyes burning with passion.

　　“You do it, Saebom,” he rasped.

　　His demanding lips were unbearably sexy. Feeling his heated gaze, she brought her trembling hands to his shirt.

　　She was always the one being undressed by him; being in control felt foreign and nerve-racking. One by one, she undid the buttons, her entire body scorching. As the shirt parted, revealing his firm abs, she sucked in a sharp breath. She was supposed to be leading, but she felt far less composed than he did.

　　Amused, Jihun guided her hand down to the buckle of his pants.

　　“You can do whatever you want,” he murmured.

　　His husky voice was laced with a raw gentleness.

　　Emboldened, she moved her hand over him, feeling an indescribable heat through the fabric. Her eyes met his, and she grew bolder with her touch, but it wasn’t long before he snatched the control right back.

　　“That’s enough for now.”

　　He gripped her hand, his breath coming in ragged pants. He had reached his limit.

　　She shot him a look of dissatisfaction.

　　“But you just said I could do whatever I wanted…”

　　“Even so, not anymore,” he replied firmly.

　　In the blink of an eye, he had her pinned. "Ah!" Saebom flinched as his hands moved swiftly to her blouse. His fingers slipped inside her tank top, exploring her skin, seeking out her most secret places.

　　“Hngh, Jihun…”

　　She wrapped her arms around his neck, parting her lips to accept his sensual breaths. Goosebumps erupted everywhere he touched, his expert caresses a stark contrast to her own clumsy fumbling moments before. He nibbled on her earlobe, just hard enough not to hurt, before boldly expanding his territory. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stifle the moans that escaped her parted lips, feeling as if she were being completely consumed by him.

　　Finally, after exploring every inch of her, he left a trail of kisses along her collarbone and the nape of her neck.

　　“Don’t you dare fall asleep on me tonight,” he whispered.

　　His gaze was so sweet it could melt her.

　　She nodded, closing her eyes and accepting his soft lips on hers.

* * *

　　Another ordinary day began. Yura, who was trimming yellow spray roses in her shop, looked up from her work. A welcome face had appeared in the open doorway.

　　“Saebom!” she greeted warmly.

　　Even though they saw each other often, she was always happy to see her friend. They shared a light hug, their eyes meeting in a shared smile. Since Saebom had rejoined her flower class, they had grown close again. Yura led her to a table overflowing with flowers and brought out a cup of warm tea.

　　“I’m not bothering you, am I?”

　　“Not at all. I have all the time in the world. But what brings you here so early?”

　　“I have something for you,” Saebom said, sitting across from her.

　　She pulled a palm-sized envelope from her handbag.

　　This is… Yura’s face lit up as she looked down at the wedding invitation.

　　“Saebom, are you getting married?”

　　“Yes. At the end of next month.”

　　“Oh my gosh!” Yura clutched the invitation and pulled the blushing Saebom into a hug, unable to contain her joy.

　　It felt as though her own sister were getting married.

　　“Congratulations! This is such wonderful news.”

　　“Thank you. Honestly, I was hesitant to give this to you. I was worried it might make you uncomfortable.”

　　Knowing the history between Yura and Jihun, Saebom had been concerned the invitation would be a burden.

　　But Yura just waved a dismissive hand, her reaction far more casual than expected.

　　“What are you talking about? I’m really okay now. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

　　She paused for a moment.

　　“Besides,” Yura added with a wink, “you know I have my eye on someone else.”

　　Saebom already knew Yura had feelings for Minwook; she’d said she’d fallen for his kind, warm charm. Holding her teacup, Saebom smiled.

　　“So, any progress with Minwook?”

　　“Nope,” Yura sighed, resting her chin in her hand. “I’m trying my best to win him over, but he’s not taking the bait. Maybe I’m not charming enough…”

　　She recounted her failed attempts, her usual cheerfulness dimmed. It seemed the rejections had shaken her confidence.

　　Saebom shook her head, offering encouragement.

　　“Hey, no way. Someone like you is more than enough! No, you’re overflowing with charm.”

　　“Really?” Yura brightened instantly. “Wow, hearing you say that really lifts my spirits.”

　　“Don’t worry. It’ll work out. I’ll be cheering you on.”

　　The thought of the two people she cared about getting together filled her with happiness. She squeezed Yura’s hand, her eyes full of earnest hope.

　　After chatting for a while longer, Saebom glanced at the wall clock and stood up. It was time to head to work. She was about to say goodbye when a thought struck her, and she paused at the door.

　　“Yura, can I ask you for a favor?”

　　“Of course. What is it?”

　　“Could you… could you make my bouquet for the wedding?”

　　From the flower class, Saebom knew how talented Yura was. She had skill and a unique artistic flair. If Yura was willing, she wanted nothing more than to carry a bouquet made by her on her wedding day.

　　Fortunately, Yura accepted without hesitation.

　　“Of course! Leave it to me. I’ll make you the most beautiful bouquet in the world!”

　　Meeting her friend’s beaming eyes, Saebom left the shop, her own face alight with excitement.

* * *

　　That evening, Yura smiled, a steaming bowl of soft tofu stew placed before her. She couldn’t help but grin as she watched Minwook eat, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he sat at the low table. He paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, having finally noticed her staring.

　　“What’s with the sudden craving for a traditional Korean meal?” he asked. “Yesterday you said you wanted pasta.”

　　“I was just in the mood for something refreshing and spicy.”

　　She was glad she’d paid attention when Saebom mentioned how much he loved soft tofu stew. After tasting the spicy broth, Yura spoke again.

　　“By the way, did you hear? About Saebom… getting married.”

　　Bringing up Saebom was always delicate. She knew how much he had liked her. But contrary to her expectations, Minwook’s expression barely changed.

　　“I know. She gave me the invitation this afternoon.”

　　“Are you sad?”

　　“It just feels a little… strange. It’s not like I have any lingering feelings.”

　　A hint of bitterness colored his smile. It was only natural; the woman he had once loved was getting married.

　　Watching him with a sense of sympathy, Yura filled his soju glass to the brim.

　　“Drink up.”

　　“Why? Are you planning to pounce on me if I get drunk?”

　　“What? That’s not…” Yura trailed off, then her expression shifted.

　　Hmm. Should I? On second thought, it wasn’t a bad idea. She grinned at the suspicious Minwook.

　　“Drink a lot. If you get wasted, I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

　　“No, thanks. I’m not drinking.”

　　“Why not?” she pouted.

　　She watched him stubbornly sip his water instead.

　　Then came his unexpected reply.

　　“I can’t take you home if I’m drunk.”

　　Yura’s eyes widened. She had no idea that was his reason. She watched him as he returned to his meal. Come to think of it, he always walked her home, no matter what. Rain or snow.

　　The memory surfaced, filling her with a new sense of anticipation.

　　“If you keep acting like this, I’m going to get the wrong idea,” she said boldly. “That you’re interested in me, too.”

　　His hand froze in mid-air, a look of surprise on his face. He held his spoon awkwardly, and she pressed on.

　　“Am I wrong…?”

　　His silence was an answer in itself. It seemed she’d misread the situation. What the heck. As she fidgeted with a napkin, her face clouded with disappointment, he let out a small smirk.

　　“You said you were confident you could win me over. So why are you so worried about what I’m thinking?”

　　“Because you won’t give in, that’s why!”

　　What was the point of trying a hundred times if he had no intention of budging? She pouted, thinking of how he hadn’t yielded to her six months of flirtation. He always accepted her invitations for dates, but he never said a word about his feelings. Am I just a friend to him? Am I clinging to something that was never possible?

　　As anxiety crept in, she bit her lower lip. Just then, he placed a portion of seasoned vegetables on her rice.

　　“Just be patient,” he said softly. “I’ll give you an answer soon.”

　　“Huh?”

　　“I’m thinking about it,” he confessed, his voice low. “About what my feelings for you really are.”

　　He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. Yura met his gaze, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.